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UK: London snatch squads to deport "failed asylum seekers"

01 August 2001

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The UK Immigration Service has announced plans to dramatically increase the number of "failed asylum-seekers" detained and/or deported from 10 a day to 80-100 a day. In the past such raids have required the presence of Metropolitan police officers to effect detention, now the Immigration Service are going to undertake this role alone with appropriately trained officials. Asylum-seekers will either be taken to an airport for immediate removal or to a central detention centre in an empty police building in north-west London.
Three reports on the initiation of "snatch squads" were discussed by the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA, part of the Greater London Authority) in September. The MPA's own report says that such raids are: "likely to generate community tension and possibly a requirement for public order maintenance". The report further observes that: "In the event of a death or serious injury occurring while a person is detained it is highly likely that there will arise a public perception that the fault lies with the Metropolitan Police Service".

See article and full-text reports on Statewatch News Online: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2001/oct/06snatchsquads.htm

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